Newsletter

Savannah diocese sues federal agency

The Diocese of Savannah — with three other Catholic organizations in Georgia — has filed suit in federal court seeking to block the Health and Human Services mandate that would force religious employers to provide medical services in violation of their religious beliefs.

The Archdiocese of Atlanta, Christ the King Catholic School in Atlanta and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Atlanta joined in the lawsuit. Named as defendants are the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The lawsuit was filed Oct. 5 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division.

With this action, the Catholic church in Georgia joins more than 50 other dioceses, schools, hospitals, social service agencies and other institutions that have filed suit in federal court to stop these three government agencies from implementing a mandate that would require them to cover and provide for free contraceptives and sterilization in their health plans.

“Our challenge to the federal mandate is not about whether people in this country should have access to the services covered by the mandate, but rather, it is about the fundamental issue of whether the government may force religious institutions and individuals to fund services which violate our religious and moral beliefs,” said Bishop Gregory John Hartmayer.

In the lawsuit, the diocese says people have a right to the medical services in question and nothing stops the government from making them more widely available, but the lawsuit argues the the government doesn’t have the right to force religious entities such as the plaintiffs to provide or facilitate access to them.

While the government has recognized a religious exemption to these mandates, it is so narrowly worded that many religious institutions do not qualify for it, the lawsuit contends.

“We bring our heritage of faith and dedication to the poor and needy who have been served by the agencies of the Catholic Church in Georgia with generosity and commitment since 1850,” Hartmayer said. “We become one more voice that must be heard by the courts as they consider the legality of this action.”